Welcome to the Asotin County, Asotin, and Clarkston Regional Stormwater Website!

This website is designed to inform the public about the importance of preventing stormwater pollution from entering our waterways, and to let you know what the Cities and County are doing to reduce stormwater pollution and meet our new stormwater regulatory obligations.  This site will be updated as the Cities and County develop our stormwater programs, so please check back – more information will be added as it is available. 

Current Stormwater Planning Efforts
See what Asotin County and the cities of Asotin and Clarkston are currently doing to manage stormwater in their areas.

Water is the essence of life.  Without clean water for all of our daily needs, we would not be able to exist.  A river or stream that runs through a town adds natural beauty to the urban setting, as well as adding economic benefits such as tourism and gaming to the area.  The Snake River and Asotin Creek are Asotin County’s two largest waterways, and are widely used by both tourists and locals alike.  The waterways support a wealth of recreation, wildlife and aquatic habitat, and it is dependent on us to keep these waterways clean and healthy.  

Why is Stormwater Important?
Today, we know that urban stormwater runoff is the largest remaining contributor of water quality pollution to the urban waterways of the United States.  The problem is magnified when development occurs without addressing stormwater pollution, which puts additional stress on the environment.  When land is converted from its natural state to one of parking lots, buildings, lawns, streets, and sidewalks, rainwater that once soaked into the ground now flows over the hard, or impervious, surfaces and becomes urban stormwater runoff.  The water picks up pollutants such as dirt, fertilizers, pesticides, oil, and bacteria on its way to the nearest storm drain or creek. Unlike sewage, which is collected and treated at a wastewater treatment plant, anything that flows into a storm drain empties directly into the nearest stream or creek, normally without any treatment.

Pollutants in stormwater come from a variety of places, including our cars, streets, parking lots, lawns, construction sites, industrial areas, agricultural areas, pet waste, etc.  Because the sources of pollutants are so widespread, the runoff is termed “nonpoint source (NPS)” pollution.  Many of our daily activities contribute to NPS pollution and can take their toll on water quality.  Typical stormwater pollutants include sediment from construction sites and bare ground, oil and grease from cars and parking lots, fertilizers and pesticides from our lawns, toxic metals from cars, and bacteria from animal waste. 

What Can You Do to Help?

• If you change your own car oil or other fluids, make sure to recycle the used fluids properly – do not dump them down storm drains.
• If you have pets, dispose of pet waste in plastic bags and put in trash can with other household trash. 
• Wash your car on grass or gravel so the soapy water filters into the ground and does not run into the storm drain.
• Properly dispose of unwanted chemicals, paints, oils, thinners, etc to the local authority instead of dumping them on the ground or in the storm drain or sink. 
• Use pesticides, fertilizer, and herbicides as directed on their label, and use them sparingly.
• Practice xeriscaping by using native trees, shrubs and groundcovers based on their adaptability to your region’s soil and climate.  Most native plants have lower water demands, fewer pest problems, and require less fertilizer than non-native plants.
• If your car leaks oils or fluids of any kind, get it fixed and/or place absorbent materials underneath the car when not in use.
• Keep your septic tank maintained and have it pumped every 3-5 years.
• If you’re building a house or other development, consider using Low Impact Development (LID) techniques to reduce stormwater runoff and pollution. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has an in-depth website about what you can do as a homeowner to help reduce stormwater pollution in your neighborhood.  Many commercial, industrial, and agricultural groups can also do their part to reduce NPS pollution by looking into ways to practice Source Control for stormwater pollution.

What are the Cities and County Doing to Help?
The EPA recognized that urban stormwater runoff is one of the biggest contributors of pollution to our nation’s waterways and wetlands.  In order to protect these waterways, the EPA required Washington to create a program that guides cities and counties in their efforts to reduce stormwater pollution.  In response, the Washington State Department of Ecology created the Stormwater Phase II NPDES Permit. Under the new rules, cities and counties are required to obtain a permit to discharge stormwater into area creeks and rivers, and they must create a Stormwater Management Plan which details how they will go about making the stormwater cleaner within their jurisdiction.

The City of Asotin, the City of Clarkston, and Asotin County were specifically named in the Department of Ecology Stormwater Phase II NPDES Permit as needing to obtain a permit and create a Stormwater Management Plan.  The process has begun, and each entity has obtained a permit.  The next step is for each City and the County to create a Stormwater Management Plan.

What is a Stormwater Management Plan?
A Stormwater Management Plan outlines what is currently being done in each City or County to prevent stormwater pollution, and what will be done in the future.  Six minimum measures must be incorporated into the plan.  These measures are:

1. Public Education and Outreach
2. Public Participation and Involvement
3. Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination
4. Construction Site Runoff Control
5. Post-Construction Runoff Control
6. Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping

Each City and County has 5 years to write and fully implement their Plan.  In that time they must each adopt a series of ordinances that gives them the authority to regulate stormwater discharges from new development and eliminate illegal discharges to storm drains.  The main goal of the Stormwater Management Plan is to improve the quality of stormwater that reaches the area waterbodies. 

Underground Injection Control (UIC) Wells
In some places within the County, stormwater is disposed of in an underground injection control (UIC) well instead of flowing to a stream or river.  UIC wells collect and hold stormwater underground, and slowly drain the water into the soil below and around the well.  UIC wells that are used for stormwater are also commonly referred to as drywells.  Depending on the depth of the ground water below the well and the type of soil surrounding the well, the stormwater may drain, or infiltrate, into the aquifer below.  Since stormwater picks up contaminants as it runs over the land surface, the stormwater can pollute the ground water once infiltration occurs. 

UIC wells can be a very effective means of disposing of stormwater; however, these wells must be regulated by the Department of Ecology to ensure they are not adversely affecting the ground water below the wells.  The UIC Program administered by the Department of Ecology has two basic requirements:

• Owners must locate and register their UIC wells with the Department of Ecology unless the wells are located on tribal land.  (Those wells should be registered with the EPA).
• Make sure that current and future underground sources of ground water are not endangered by pollutants in the stormwater discharge (non-endangerment standard).

The Program also states that UIC wells constructed on or after February 3, 2006 are considered to be new.  New wells must be registered, and you must provide the department with information needed to determine if the new UIC wells meet the conditions to be rule-authorized.  The registration form must be submitted prior to construction, and the non-endangerment standard must be met. 

UIC wells constructed prior to February 3, 2006 are considered to be existing. 

• Owners of 50 wells or fewer must register their wells by February 3, 2009, and complete their well assessment by February 3, 2011. 
• Owners of more than 50 wells must register their wells by February 3, 2011, and complete their well assessment by February 3, 2013.

Asotin County, Asotin, and Clarkston are in the process of creating an inventory of all new and existing wells under their ownership, and will begin to register their wells once the inventory process is complete.  For more information on the Washington State Department of Ecology Underground Injection Control Well Program, click here.

It’s a Community Effort
We all need to do our part to keep the stormwater clean, because the stormwater that reaches the streams and rivers or infiltrates through the ground and into the aquifer may contain pollutants.  The Snake River and Asotin Creek are both important waterways to the residents of the county, both for the aesthetic value and the financial value they bring to the area. Local residents rely on ground water as their main source of drinking water.  If stormwater or spills are allowed to filter through the ground polluted and untreated, the pollutants may accumulate and make the aquifer unusable as a drinking water source.  This in turn means higher costs to you, the resident, if the aquifer must be cleaned and treated to become usable again.    

A major part of the Stormwater Management Plan process is the inclusion of public comments and participation.  The Plan is not meant to be a burden on the residents of the Cities and the County, it is meant to be a tool that aids in protecting the quality of our surface waters, namely Asotin Creek and the Snake River.  We want to encourage the public to attend the upcoming stakeholder meetings (meetings will be announced and advertised when scheduled) and become actively involved in the planning process.

If you have any questions, please contact Joel Ristau at Asotin County 509-243-2074, Jim Martin at the City of Clarkston 509-758-1662, or Eric Hasenoehrl, representing the City of Asotin 208-743-2135.